68521 and 43228 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
68521
43228
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs70 · Top 19%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs64 · Top 24%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 30%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 39%
vs80 · Top 44%
Access
95 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 68521 | 43228 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,050 | 59,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,483 | $61,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,106 | $32,848 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,814/sq mi | 2,970/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $252,800 | $219,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,231 | $1,233 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 44.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 18.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,911 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.2% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.3" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
68521
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
43228
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 68521 — Lincoln, NE · 43228 — Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology